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Lawmakers Push School Safety Bills

From the Morning Memo:

State lawmakers in recent days have been pushing a variety of bills meant to bolster — and fund — school safety in New York in the wake of a shooting at a Florida high school this month that killed 17 people.

Sen. Jim Tedisco is backing a bill that would fund armed resource officers with a special license plate.

Sen. Phil Boyle has introduced a bill that would require every school district New York to perform a threat assessment on their buildings, paid for by the state.

And Sen. Simcha Felder is renewing a push to have New York City police officers stationed in schools.

All are measures backed by Republicans or in Felder’s case, a Democrat who conferences with the Senate GOP. The bills and proposals for school safety come as Democratic lawmakers have called for traditional gun control measures after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The issue is at something of an impasse: Republican-backed efforts to provide armed personnel in schools has been staunchly opposed by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie as is the New York State United Teachers union. Republican lawmakers, however, are unlikely to take up new gun control measures in New York, even as GOP elected officials nationally support efforts for increasing the age to buy a firearm to 21.

Still, with the state budget due in a month, it would not be surprising if some money is allocated for school safety measures that guard against another school shooting that does not include bringing guns into schools.

“A lot of schools are not aware of their vulnerabilities,” Boyle said.

“They need to know every entrance and exit and who has access to those areas. They should know what doors and windows are locked and unlocked, and who, if anyone, has the responsibility of monitoring those areas. The time for chance and uncertainty is over! The safety and well-being of our children and the staff of our schools are dependent upon what we know. Only then can we take appropriate, corrective steps to ensure effective safety and security measures.”